Howard County school teachers are among the best paid in the state and the region. The superintendent said she wants to keep it that way but doubts the teachers union feels the same way.

"The union leadership right now is not being transparent with teachers. They're not being honest with teachers. They are not truly telling teachers what the negotiated offer on the table actually is," Howard County Schools Superintendent Dr. Renee Foose said.

The union president said that's not so and said there's nothing to hide.

"Our members are the judge of that, and we communicate very frequently and forcibly. I know that's troublesome sometimes, but we communicate very clearly with our 5,500 members almost daily," said Paul Lemle, president of the Howard County Education Association.

The school system said it is offering teachers a one-year contract with up to a 5 percent pay raise.

"It's an immediate raise beginning July 1, and it's a cost-of-living increment right away on July 1. To stand in the way of teachers getting that raise, I think, is a disservice to them," Foose said.

The union said it wants a two-year contract and has reasons why.

"It allows us to protect benefits for another year to make sure our employees have good health care and retirement solutions," Lemle said.

"The union leadership is asking for a multiyear deal that we are not in a position to offer at this point because we don't have certainties on what the financial picture is going to look like in multiple years," Foose said.

The union said what’s keeping the two sides apart has little to do with money.

"The other issues are the thing that's holding up the agreement -- planning time for teachers to deliver better lessons for students, collaboration time between support professionals and teachers, and access to technology for our support professionals," Lemle said.

Time is running out to approve a new contract before the last day of school for students on June 20. The current one-year teacher contract expires on June 30.

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